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Sculpture
Gallic Freedom
Alfred Janniot
French, born Japan. 1889 - 1969
Above the main entrance of 610 Fifth Avenue
Perched above the entrance of La Maison Francaise, this massive, majestic figure is symbolic of French freedom as she proclaims Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite (Liberty, Equality, Fraternity) to the world. Her gilded Torch of Freedom evokes the flame of revolution and its triumph. The carving’s strong details, twisted pose and deep undercuts are typical of Janniot’s style. Gallic Freedom references the energy and patriotism of the famed 1830s painting Liberty Leading the People by Eugene Delacroix.
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